Who Should I Start? Mac Jones or Tyler Shough

Saturday, February 7, 5:23 AM

The San Francisco 49ers are not looking to trade backup quarterback Mac Jones this offseason, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic. Russini reports that while "things and offers could change," 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan "loves what he has" in Jones. With San Francisco starter Brock Purdy missing eight games in 2025 due to injury, Jones played a critical role in keeping the 49ers' season afloat. Across his eight starts, the 27-year-old threw for 2,147 yards, 13 touchdowns, and six interceptions. Jones averaged 7.4 yards per pass attempt in 2025, his first time clearing 6.8 yards per attempt since his 2021 rookie season with the New England Patriots. San Francisco signed Jones to a two-year contract last offseason, so the team could easily decide to keep him until he reaches free agency after the 2026 season. However, if a quarterback-needy team views Jones as a potential long-term solution, it might make the 49ers an offer that is too good to pass up.

Wednesday, January 7, 12:14 PM

When asked if Tyler Shough is the team's starting quarterback going forward in 2026, New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore said, "Yeah, we feel great about Tyler." Shough continued to get better in his first NFL season and went 23-for-35 passing for 259 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in the regular-season finale against the Atlanta Falcons, adding 34 rushing yards and another score on the ground. The 26-year-old second-rounder out of Louisville completed 67.6% of his 327 pass attempts in 11 games played (nine starts) for 2,384 yards, 10 touchdowns, and six interceptions. Shough added 45 carries for another 186 rushing yards and three touchdowns. At the very least, Shough cemented himself as New Orleans' starting QB going into the 2026 season, and he should profile as a solid QB2 in superflex leagues and a nice backup with upside in single-QB formats.